Dispensing devices for particulate material such as fungicides, insecticides, dusting powders, cosmetic powder, deodorant and desiccant-type powders such as talcum powders are well known.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,912,385 and 1,936,879 disclose a dispensing container comprising two rectangular box-like sections joined by a bellows portion. Inside the box containers is a specially designed manifold operating in combination with the bellows portion to discharge powder from the containers through a discharge opening.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,491,118 and 2,738,615 disclose hand-operated dispensing devices having a flexible, tubular bellows portion interconnecting to rigid sections. By turning and twisting the rigid sections with respect to each other through the flexible bellows portion, pulverized particulate material is forced from an inner chamber of the housing or casing to project insecticide dust outwardly from a discharge tube opening.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 535,439; 2,551,676; 3,199,743; and 3,255,933 each disclose a type of dispensing container for discharging powdered materials. The patents '439 and '933 incorporate a bellows configuration in combination with rigid wall sections of container. Patents '676 and '743 disclose dispensing devices having a flexible material forming a portion of the container wall that may be manually squeezed or pushed to force particulate material through a container discharge opening.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 653,866; 2,223,076; 2,609,971; 2,718,987; 4,007,858; and 4,730,751 show the state of the art regarding dispensing powder materials from various container configurations. Each of these known structures has a manually flexible wall portion for dispensing powder through discharge openings.
With respect to a particular problem involving particulate dispensing devices, hairdressers, barbers and workers in associated trades have experienced difficulty in effectively applying and dispersing powder on a customer receiving their services such as, for example, after cutting the customer's hair.
When using a container of powder having dispensing openings at one end thereof, it is necessary to tilt the entire container to allow the powder to fall by gravity through the dispensing openings. Little or no control is possible when using such a prior art container. Consequently, considerable waste of the particulate product is experienced.
A further problem is associated with employing a brush device for spreading powder placed on the skin of a user. A brush permanently secured to a container is thereby used from one person to the next. Consequently, there is a danger of passing a contagious skin condition from one person to another.
None of the prior art dispensing containers may be pumped by placing in the palm of one hand. And, indeed, the known devices may require two hands to operate. Furthermore, none of the prior art devices disclose or suggest the particular composite structure of this invention.